Southern Bell Building (now AT&T Communication Building)

Marye, Alger, and Vinour
1929

As Robert M. Craig explains, "the Southern Bell Building of 1929 was intended, at twenty-five stories, to be Atlanta's premier Modernistic skyscraper. . . . However, Southern Bell's downtown office tower opened in 1930 at only six stories (exclusive of basement and sub-basement); it was raised in 1947 and 1948 to fourteen, and was marred by a tower addition in 1963. . . "(37). He adds that "Here, geometric ornaments and stylized sculptural representations of birds and human forms are unsurpassed among Deco buildings in the South, including Miami Beach" (37). This building was being renovated when I visited Atlanta in February 2002; it was covered with scaffolding, ropes, even tarp. Scarcely visible is the astonishing corbeled entrance with sculptural low relief figures representing a line repairmen and operator. See fuzzy image below.